1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a communication device for mobile communication networks. In particular, the invention is preferably and advantageously applicable to communication devices capable of connecting to the network with two or more different profiles, such as, for instance, Dual SIM telephones.
2. Present State of the Art
“Dual SIM” (Dual Subscriber Identity Module) telephones, i.e. telephones which can accommodate two SIM cards, are recently having increasing success. These devices provide their users with two or more numbers in a single telephone device, e.g. one for work calls and one for personal calls.
From the final user's viewpoint, Dual SIM telephones are devices which can receive incoming calls on both numbers associated with the two SIM cards; similarly, for outgoing calls the same device can operate by utilising one particular SIM card of the two available.
The users of Dual SIM telephones can also choose that SIM card which, from time to time, provides the lowest call cost. In fact, calls directed to numbers belonging to the same mobile network operator as that of the calling number are typically cheaper than those directed to numbers belonging to different mobile network operators.
For the user of a Dual SIM telephone it is therefore more advantageous to call a certain telephone number through the SIM card (if available) belonging to the same network operator of the called number, or through the SIM card belonging to that operator which offers the most favourable interconnection rate. In this respect, Dual SIM telephones allow the user to make use of two or more telephone numbers, even belonging to different operators, with a single telephone device, without having to carry several devices.
Some examples of Dual SIM or multi SIM telephones are known from patents WO9941921, US2003125073 and GB2439370. The devices described in these patents can accommodate several SIMs simultaneously, which can then be used for making and receiving calls. However, such devices suffer from the drawback that the selection of the SIM card to be used for making outgoing calls must be made manually by the user, which involves longer call preparation times and less ease of use of the telephone.